Summer Vacation Trouble
by quiet-heart
Summary: Dabi and Gibbs are on summer vacation in Stillwater, so Dabi can get to know her grandfather, Jackson Gibbs. But wherever a Gibbs goes, trouble is sure to follow, and Dabi is no exception.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

It was going to be a year to remember, that Dabi Moore-Gibbs was sure of.

During her spring break, Dabi had witnesses the murder of a Navy officer. This had brought in NCIS, which had brought in Supervisory Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

A routine DNA search through CODIS had brought to light a very interesting, much unknown secret; Dabi was the daughter Gibbs had never known he had and he was the father she had always wondered about.

Neither of them could talk to Amanda Moore about it, Dabi's mother, because she had been killed by a drunk driver when Dabi was eleven. Since then, Dabi had lived with her grandparents, Daniel and Sharee Shemo, who owned and operated Kranz Bakery. It was the same bakery they lived above and Dabi worked at part-time.

The relationship between father and daughter was good; Dabi usually spent the weekends with Gibbs, unless he was working a case. If that was the case, then she made a point of stopping by NCIS at least once to visit him. When they weren't together, and one wasn't busy with work or school, they were texting.

Agent Ziva David had become as much a friend as a teacher to Dabi, who now knew how to throw a punch without hurting her hand, how to kick and make it count, and how to throw a knife.

Agent Timothy 'Tim' McGee had also accepted Dabi, treating her like a kid sister and making sure he always had doggie treats for Azan, Dabi's Golden Retriever Hearing Dog and constant companion.

Senior Agent Anthony 'Tony' DiNozzo, on the other hand, had a Torment-The-Hell-Out-of-The -Other relationship with her. The truth was, as his boss's daughter, he was terrified of her. For one thing, it didn't help that she had learned the fine art of walking quietly and had, on several occasions, deliberately scared him so badly he had spilled his drink all over himself.

In fact, her most memorable one had been when she had scared him in to dropping his ice cold drink on his crotch.

There was also the time she had, with a little help, rigged his desk chair to emit a harmless but painful shock every time he sat down on it. Then his pen and stapler had gotten rigged, and his coffee mug had been changed so it said, "_I'm A Douche_" on the bottom.

Tony had responded with pranks of his own and it had become an ongoing war between them.

On her eighteenth birthday, her friend, Abby Sciuto, had taken her to a tattoo parlor and helped her get a really nice butterfly tattoo across the back of her shoulders, with tribal designs on the sides, and four smaller butterflies dancing around the larger one.

The first time Gibbs saw the tattoo, Dabi was wearing a bright blue strapless crop top and her favorite jeans. He knew she'd gotten a tattoo, he just didn't know what it looked like. Having seen Abby's tattoos, he thought the one on Dabi's back was nicely done, but he did wonder about the smaller butterflies, until Dabi explained; the four butterflies were her parents and her grandparents.

Azan, sadly, passed away about a week after Dabi's birthday, having been diagnosed with an inoperable cancerous tumor, earlier that week. Having been a vital part of her world since she was twelve, Azan's death rocked Dabi's world and sent her tumbling into a depression that scared everyone she knew. That was when Gibbs planted Dr. Rachel Cranston in front of her. Dr. Crangston was a psychologist who had worked with Gibbs and his team before, and had become a friend.

"As a matter of doctor-patient confidentiality, I can't tell you everything, but I will tell you this; she's lost her mother and now Azan, and she's terrified of losing you and her grandparents," the kindly doctor later reported to Gibbs. "She's terrified of being alone, especially with the loss of Azan."

"So what do we do?" Gibbs asked.

"Be patient. She's grieving, just as I'm sure you've done," was the reply. "She mentioned a possible trip to Stillwater in the summer? Take her. Also, she wanted to bury Azan with her mother, but the cemetery officials won't let her, so..."

Gibbs smiled.

That was how Dabi found herself out in the cemetery, in the middle of the night, dressed in black, and carrying Azan's cremated remains. With her was Abby, Ziva, Tim, Gibbs, and Tony, all dressed in black, and all carrying flashlights and small digging tools. Gibbs knew the cemetery caretaker and had told him the problem. The caretaker, understanding, had agreed to look the other way that night and "accidentally" leave the gate unlocked if Gibbs would lock it up after they were done.

"This is the most creepiest thing I have ever done, I swear," Dabi muttered as they made their way through the cemetery.

"When there is no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth," Tony intoned, quoting from the 1978 movie_, Dawn of the Dead_. He grinned evilly at Dabi, who glared at him. He knew how much she hated scary movies.

"Keep that up and you'll be a zombie, DiNozzo," Gibbs warned.

"Yes, boss."

They quickly found who they were looking for; _Amanda Moore._ Her headstone was a simple granite stone set in the ground, with her name, date of birth, and date of death on it.

"Hi Mom," said Dabi softly, feeling the tears well up again as she kneeled beside the headstone. "I'm sorry I haven't been by lately, but I found Dad. It's kind of a long story, but I'm sure you know it already." She wiped her eyes, feeling Gibbs hand on her shoulder. "If you don't know it by now, Azan just left. Cancer got him. Could you meet him at the Gate for me? Just so he knows where to go?"

She watched as Tony and Tim started carefully digging a hole beside the headstone. Azan's remains, in a nice little wooden box Gibbs had made, were carefully put in the hole and covered up.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to know you very well, Mandy, but for the short time I did, I'm glad, because we have a daughter, and I'm glad to know her," Gibbs said quietly. He glanced over to a different section of the cemetery.

"Is that where Shannon and Kelly are?" Dabi asked, seeing the movement.

Gibbs nodded.

"We'll finish here, Gibbs," Abby said, smiling reassuringly. "You two go say hello."

And that was how Dabi said hello to her half-sister, Kelly.

A few days later, Dabi stopped by NCIS. She was looking better than she had the previous days. Wearing sneakers, dark blue leggings, brightly colored leg warmers, a t-shirt with Mickey Mouse on it, earrings that looked like ice cream cones with googly eyes, and her hair in two braids with colorful extensions running through them, she looked a bit more like herself. She was even wearing the jacket Eric Armstrong had given her when they had first met, and had a little make-up on.

"Hey," she said, handing Gibbs his coffee and accepting his kiss on her temple.

"Hey yourself," he said. "How are you feeling?"

"I'll be okay," she said, before suddenly jumping nearly a foot as Tony came up behind her and startled her, again. Dabi watched as Tony walked away, cackling. A gleam came into her eyes, one that made Gibbs get nervous for Tony's sake.

"Abby is going to help me study for my finals," she said, indicating her book bag.

"Good idea," he said.

"I'll catch you later," she said. "Ignore the scream."

"Don't hurt him too much." He was getting used to the relationship between his senior field agent and his daughter. It was odd but harmless, sort of.

"I won't," was the reply. She trailed after Tony quietly, vanishing down the hallway.

A moment later;

_THUD!_

"_Wha- No, no, please, no! Yaaaaah!_"

Tony reappeared a moment later, walking a bit funny, with a pained expression on his face.

"What happened to you?" Ziva asked, having heard the commotion.

"Wedgie," Tony mumbled, his face turning scarlet.

Gibbs nearly choked on his coffee.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Dabi was excited; she was officially on vacation and traveling with her dad, in his yellow and black Dodge Challenger R/T, to Stillwater to meet her grandfather, Jackson Gibbs.

She had just graduated from high school and had been accepted at a community college to get her business management degree so she could eventually take over her grandparents' bakery.

She was still seeing Eric but was getting a little confused. She really wanted to get closer, physically, and while he had no problems touching her or holding her hand, but when it came to kissing, the boy was chaste. There had been one time when he'd given her a kiss that had nearly melted her socks off but, much to her dismay and frustration, he hadn't done it again.

Abby figured he was terrified of Gibbs and didn't want to do anything that might get him a bullet in his ass. That didn't make Dabi any less happy.

Gibbs had assured Dabi there was a river near the town so she could go swimming when it got real hot, which the weather forecast was predicting.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat and Gibbs noticed.

"You okay?" he signed.

Dabi was deaf and signing was her main way of speaking, with speech her 'second language'.

"Back's a little sore," she admitted. "It'll ease off in a day or two."

Dabi already had a tattoo across her shoulders, but after Azan's death, she had added two more; another butterfly for her deceased half-sister, Kelly, and on her chest, above where her heart was, was a paw print with wings for Azan.

Her cell phone vibrated; it was her grandmother, Sharee, better known as Nana.

"Nana says we may be very close to getting the pastry contract for the Marine Birthday Ball in November," Dabi said, already typing in a reply.

"Good. I can think of a lot of Marines who are going to have to loosen their belts before that night is over."

She snickered.

An hour later, they arrived in Stillwater. It was a quiet little town, with a train running through it. Gibbs pulled up to a store with a large glass window and parked the car. As he and Dabi got out, she stretched, catching the eye of a few teenage boys on the sidewalk. They wolf-whistled when she began to undo her braid and run her fingers through her hair, but, being deaf, she didn't hear them, and so ignored them. Gibbs did, and he glared.

Over the last few months since spring break, Dabi had developed a bit of a bust, going from a very small size AA to a decent size B and as a result a lot of her favorite shirts were getting a bit tight across the chest. Dabi didn't like it but the boys sure did, much to her disgust.

Gibbs and Dabi entered the store and an elderly gentleman with Gibbs' eyes looked up. He smiled when he saw them

"Hey Dad," said Gibbs. This was evidentially Jackson Gibbs.

Jackson came around the counter and looked at Dabi, who blushed.

"Hello, pretty lady. Been waiting for you for a while," Jackson said, smiling.

Dabi smiled back, even as she felt her face heat up.

"What took you so damn long, son? About time you got here," Jackson said to Gibbs.

"We took the scenic route, Dad. Dabi's never been outside of Washington this way," Gibbs replied easily, heading towards the back for some fresh coffee.

"It's a nice town, Mr. Gibbs," said Dabi, following her father as she looked around curiously.

"Call me Jackson," Jackson said.

Dabi bit her lip then said, "What about Grandpa Jack?" she asked.

"That suits me just fine, sweetheart," was the reply.

The bell above the door tinkled and in walked the teen boys Dabi and Gibbs had seen earlier.

"Tom, Marvin, Arnold, what can I do for you boys?" Jackson asked, evidentially knowing the teenagers.

"Hey Mr. Gibbs, what do redheads and McDonald's have in common?" one teen asked, grinning at Dabi.

"I'm afraid to ask," Jackson groaned.

"You've never had it so good and so fast," the teen said, chortling. He turned to say something to his friend but saw his friends looking at something in horror. He turned to see what the problem was, and suddenly he was seeing stars and feeling a lot of pain in his face.

"You're right; that was fast," Dabi said, glaring. She had just punched him.

Gibbs just sighed and took a mouthful of the coffee he had just gotten from the coffee pot.

"That was deserved," Jackson said. He looked at Dabi and said, "Welcome to Stillwater."

The groaning boy got up off the floor, helped up by his buddies. "I was just trying to be funny," he whined.

"That may have been funny, to you, loser, but it wasn't to me," Dabi shot back. "If you're looking to impress a girl, next time try using your brain instead of your mouth, because the next time you make a stupid joke about redheads when I'm around, you'd better make sure your health insurance is up to date!"

"It might be in your best interests to apologize to the young lady, Tom," Jackson said, nodding wisely.

"Sorry, ma'am, really. I promise I won't make any more jokes like that again, I swear," Tom mumbled.

"It's just we tried to compliment you earlier and you didn't even look our way."

"Why the hell would I want to? I'm here on vacation to get to know my grandfather and to relax before I start college in September! I'm not here to get pawed by every moron with a dick and no brain! Besides, I'm seeing someone at home who has a lot more class than you obviously do!" She glared at them. "Beat it, you bunch of long-necked turkeys!"

"Yes, ma'am," Tom mumbled.

As he and his friends stumbled out of the store, a man in a brown Sheriff's uniform entered the store.

"The boys giving you trouble again, Jackson?" the man asked.

"Nothing we couldn't handle, Sheriff," Jackson replied easily. "Or should I say, nothing my granddaughter couldn't handle." He nodded at Dabi. "Dabi, this is Sheriff Lankin, the local law around here."

"Nice to meet you, sir," Dabi said politely, shaking his hand.

"Likewise, ma'am. If I may ask, where's your father?"

Gibbs came in to view. "Right here, Sheriff," he said. "Still chasing the kids around?"

"Only when they get smart mouth," he replied. "Hope you're not bringing trouble."

"Nope. Just here for a few days to relax," Gibbs replied.

"Sure. Let's keep it that way," Sheriff Lankin said. He tipped his hat at Dabi and ambled out of the store.

"Did I miss something?" Dabi asked, puzzled by the exchange.

"Just a long story, which I have no doubt you'll want to hear," Jackson said.

"Right after I grab my bag from the car," Dabi said. "I need my hairbrush."

"And some cream for your back, from the looks of it," said Jackson, not realizing Dabi couldn't hear him as she walked out of the store.

"She can't hear you, Dad, remember?" Gibbs said.

"So how the hell does she understand me?"

"Because she was looking at you; she lip reads."

"And while she's gone, you're going to start telling me everything there is to know about her, including what happened to her mother."

Outside, Dabi grabbed her bag and her dad's bag from the trunk of the car. As she did, she noticed a small, brown and white dog watching her from across the street. He wasn't very big and looked pretty scruffy. If someone gave him a bath, she was sure he'd clean up nicely. Then he wandered off and she didn't think anything more of it. Besides, she was eager to hear what stories Grandpa Jack had about her dad.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The next morning Gibbs and Jackson heard Dabi shout excitedly before she bounded into the kitchen.

"Morning Dad, morning Grandpa Jack," Dabi said, giving both men a kiss on the cheek before getting herself a cup of coffee. "Just got word; the bakery got the contract. That means big money in November."

"Congratulations," Jackson said, having been told about the upcoming event and what it meant for Kranz Bakery.

"Yup. So what are the plans for the day?" she asked, helping herself to breakfast.

"Your father is going to watch the store while you and I do a little tourist playing," Jackson said.

"Sounds like fun," said Dabi. "By the way, Dad, why is Eric scared of you?"

"Probably because I threatened to use him for sniper target practice if he hurt you, why?"

"Because I know you don't want to hear this, but I kinda want the dork to kiss me, like really kiss me, and the best I can get from him amounts to vanilla ice cream when it's a banana split with the works that I want!" she said indignantly.

"You're eighteen, he's nineteen, you have plenty of time," Gibbs said.

"I'm not talking about sex, I'm talking about kissing!"

"And one usually leads to the other."

"And if it keeps up, it's going to lead me to joining a nunnery!"

"That won't be a bad habit for you," Gibbs teased.

Both Jackson and Dabi groaned at the pun. "That was bad, even for you, son," Jackson said. He glanced at his granddaughter and said, "You look very nice but I'm afraid of one small problem."

Dabi glanced down at her outfit of a layered blue and white cotton tank top, denim shorts, tennis socks, and slip-on sneakers. She had her hair in a ponytail and cute _Hello Kitty_ earrings dangled from her ears.

"Okay," she said, a little confused.

"With your long legs and pretty red hair, I'm afraid you may cause a few heart attacks with some of the older fellows," Jackson said.

"She already causes heart attacks at work, usually with DiNozzo," Gibbs said.

"If he would quit picking on Timmy I would quit picking on him!" was the indignant comeback.

"Which causes him to pick on you in retaliation," Gibbs replied. "I feel like a school principal sometimes!"

"Would now be a bad time to mention the little thumb drive I hooked to his computer before we left?" Dabi asked innocently.

Gibbs looked at her over his coffee mug and asked in resignation, "How much yelling is he going to do?"

"Depends on how long it takes for him to find it and for Timmy and Ziva to stop laughing," Dabi said sweetly. "By the way, did he ever get his underwear out of his ass?"

While Jackson laughed, Gibbs answered.

"Yes, he did, but did you have to do it that hard?"

"He was a pain in the ass, so I made sure he had a pain in the ass."

Gibbs groaned and Jackson laughed.

Later, while Gibbs minded the store, Jackson took Dabi on a walk through town, introducing her to people. As they walked, Dabi noticed the dog from yesterday following them. She pointed it out to Jackson.

"Who's the dog?" she asked.

"Nobody knows," he said. "Showed up a few weeks back. Never gives anyone any trouble but he won't stay with anyone. Once he's had a meal and a snooze, he vanishes. A lot of us kind of get the feeling he's waiting for someone."

The dog wasn't very big and looked to be a Terrier breed. _He looked kind of cute_, Dabi thought, her heart aching for Azan.

"_Maybe I'll get him a doggie biscuit_," she thought. "_I do need another dog and the waiting list is a bit long._"

Then the dog disappeared and Dabi let him go.

Later, at the ice cream parlor, Dabi was approached by a girl about her age with cropped brown hair.

"Are you the girl who punched out my younger brother?" the girl asked.

"And if I am?"

"I'm Fran Tucker and I'm buying you an ice cream," she said, all but bouncing. "Tommy told me what happened and he deserved that!"

Jackson chuckled. "You go ahead, darling. I'm going to head back to the store, make sure your father hasn't shot anybody."

And Dabi found herself being dragged away to a table where there were several other girls, all her own age. Before she knew it, they were talking and giggling.

An hour and a half later she was on her way back to the store. She had to cross a street near the store that had a blind bend and carefully checked both ways before proceeding. As she did so, she saw her father and grandfather waving frantically at her, but she was too far away to see what they were saying clearly, thanks to a dust cloud that suddenly kicked up.

Suddenly, something tugged hard on her purse, yanking her back and sending her on her backside. Less than a moment later, a large 1950's pick-up truck roared around the corner, the driver never once slowing down.

Had Dabi continued her crossing, she would have been hit by the truck and very likely killed.

Gasping, she looked around for her rescuer and spotted the little dog she'd seen earlier. As Gibbs and Jackson rapidly crossed the street, the sheriff right behind them, Dabi got on her knees and held out her fingers.

"Hello," she said gently. "I won't hurt you. C'mere, cutie, c'mon."

The little dog sniffed cautiously and then came closer, letting her scratch his ears. Then he was next to her and she was giggling as he licked her face.

"I was right; that dog was looking for someone," Jackson said. "He was looking for you."

"You need a bath! Maybe some flea stuff, oh and a pork chop at the very least," Dabi said, still giggling.

"He's going to need a name and a collar," said Gibbs, trying to get his heart to stop racing. He was going to be having nightmares about that for a while.

"Find out what 'hero' means in Hebrew," Dabi asked. A moment later a kindly bypasser had the answer on their iPhone. "Gibor (gee-bor), huh? I like that." She looked at the dog. "Okay, your name is officially Gibor."

"And as soon as I can, I am going to be crucifying a certain asshole," Sheriff Lankin snarled.

"You know the guy?" Gibbs demanded, already having thoughts of using his gun on the driver.

"Too well, damnit. Jackass knows this area is a blind bend and he _still_ speeds through."

"I want a piece of him," Gibbs said.

"Get in line," was the reply. "Better yet, get the dog a steak; he's earned it."

Gibor not only got a bath and a steak, he also got a bright orange collar, leash, and a name tag, plus a chew toy and a nail trim. By the time Dabi was finished with him, he was looking nothing like the dog everyone was used to seeing.

Later that night, Gibbs checked on Dabi, a habit he had begun to develop whenever she stayed with him. He started chuckling quietly. Gibor was on the bed, snuggled right up to Dabi.

"Move over, you dumb mutt; I don't want to wind up on the floor," Dabi mumbled in her sleep, shifting in to a more comfortable position. The dog just yawned and went back to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Gibbs and Jackson woke up the next morning to the delicious smell of baking and the cheerful noise of someone laughing and a dog barking.

As the two men ambled in to the kitchen, they discovered fresh coffee going and scones in the oven, with some on a plate already, cooling off. Gibbs stuck his head outside in time to see his daughter playing Tug-of-War with Gibor, who was giving it all he had. His short little stubby tail was wagging like crazy despite the growling that Dabi couldn't hear.

"Hey Dad, good timing. The last batch of scones should be just about ready," Dabi said, seeing him out of the corner of her eye. "When the timer goes off, pull 'em out if I'm not back in the kitchen please?"

Gibbs signed an acknowledgement and smiled. He was glad to see Dabi playing with a dog again; Gibor needed a little training, true, but it would help keep Dabi's mind off Azan.

Deciding Gibor needed some training on the streets, Dabi decided to take her new companion to the butcher and a few other stores. He needed to learn some basic commands, as well as how to handle himself in public.

On her way out of the butchers, Dabi was confronted by a girl who would have been pretty, had she not had so much make-up on.

"Hey, bitch! You hit my man!" the girl yelled, obviously ready for a fight.

"You mean Tommy Tucker?" Dabi asked.

"You know who I mean, bitch!"

"Your man, if you want to call him that, made a very crude joke at my expense and I flattened him," Dabi said. She felt a tugging on the leash and looked down to see Gibor growling at the girl.

"What's with the mutt?" the girl demanded.

Dabi smiled. "He's my hero and he doesn't seem to like you. Only problem is, I'm still training him, so I wouldn't count on him listening to me too much." The girl backed off a bit. "Listen, I'm on vacation. Your man was being a jackass. I've got a guy myself; I would defend him too, if someone punched him. But you're a blonde and I'm sure you really don't care for all the dumb blonde jokes."

"Well, no," the girl admitted.

"Your man made a rather gross joke about redheads, which I am, and I flattened him. He claimed he was trying to get my attention."

"That wasn't what he said! He said you came on to him!"

Dabi scoffed. "Do you know Jackson Gibbs?"

"The old guy who has a small store, so?"

"He's my grandfather. He was there when Tommy made that joke. You are more than welcome to talk to him about it."

The girl glared at her, but backed down a bit more. Dabi continued.

"I'm not interested in a fight. If your man isn't man enough to show a girl he doesn't even know some respect by not making a sexist joke, then he's not man enough to be around a girl, period." The girl bit her lip as she thought about that. "Dad's going to take me down to the river later today, so I need to grab some stuff beforehand. Are we done?" When the girl didn't answer, Dabi turned to walk away. Before she got too far, there was a tap on her shoulder. It was the girl.

"I know a place on the river that's pretty good," she admitted. "I don't know if your dad knows about it, but it's a good place to have fun. I could draw it on a map for you."

"That would be appreciated."

Dabi and the girl, who gave her name as Pam Matkin, stopped at a local outdoor cafe and ordered something cool to drink while Pam drew the map.

As she did, Dabi noticed two elderly gentlemen talking, in what looked like low voices, nearby.

"We've got to move him," said the first gentleman. He was leaning heavily on his wooden cane.

"How? We put him pretty deep down. That old mine ain't that stable," said the second man, lifting his fedora up enough to scratch his head.

"I know, but that area's being looked at again as a possible new coal line and I don't trust them fancy new techie stuff they got out these days."

"What about that dumbass grandson of yours?"

"Kid got the short end of the stick in brains. He won't be much help, especially with keeping his mouth shut." He sighed heavily. "We could always rig another explosion but there's a risk. Besides, I hate leaving Jimbo there; he shoulda been buried right proper."

"I know, but that would've raised too many questions we couldn't answer."

"I know, dang it, I know. God rest her soul, sweet Carolina."

As the two men moved off, Dabi swallowed hard. The two men had been talking about moving a body from the mines and that usually meant murder.

"You okay?" Pam asked, seeing Dabi's face go pale.

"Who are those old guys?" she asked, pointing towards the receding men.

"That looks like Mr. Peabody and Mr. Carter. I think my mom said they were war veterans or something. Why?"

Dabi shrugged. "I'm deaf but I lip-read pretty good and I thought I saw them say something. I was just wondering who they were_." And who the heck Jimbo is and why he's in a mine,_ she thought. _Dad is going to love me. _

As soon as she could, Dabi hustled back to the store and booted up her computer. Thanks to Abby and Tim, she had learned a thing or two about how to do internet searches.

"What's going on, sweetheart?" Gibbs asked, watching as his daughter scrolled through the Stillwater Tribune news files.

"I think someone named Jimbo went missing years ago and I think Mr. Peabody and Mr. Carter had something to do with it, and it has something to do with someone named Caroline," Dabi said.

"Okay," said Gibbs, sitting down next to her. "I'm listening."

She repeated what she had seen and then suddenly yelped excitedly. "Found him!" She spun her laptop around so her father could see the screen. "Jim 'Jimbo' Seymore, a Marine during the Vietnam War, vanished shortly after returning home from the war in 1973. His two best friends were Michael Carter and Brian Peabody, and they stated they were very worried about him. Worried about him, my ass."

"Are you sure about this?"

Dabi nodded and turned her laptop back towards herself. Fingers flying over the keyboard again, she found another news article. "The Barrick Mine Corporation is doing some investigations into some of the old coal mines that were shut down before 1972, possibly reopening them again. That's got to be the mines those guys were talking about."

"If those mines can get reopened, it could mean big money for a lotta fellows around here," said Jackson, joining them.

"What do you know about Michael Carter and Brian Peabody, and maybe someone named Caroline, Dad?" Gibbs asked.

"Carter and Peabody? Good guys, never any problems. Caroline was Brian's wife, but the funny thing was, she was engaged to their buddy, Jimbo Seymore, before he went off to Vietnam," Jackson said.

"What happened after the war?" Dabi asked.

"That's the funny thing. Shortly after he came back, Jimbo disappeared. Nobody could find him," Jackson said.

"And Caroline?" Gibbs asked.

"Up and married Brian. They never had any children, but she was married to him for over twenty years before she died of pneumonia complications a few years back."

"What about Michael? I think he has a grandson," Dabi said.

"That he does, and the sorriest excuse of a grandson I've ever met. Kid's a lazy bum, always looking for a fast buck, even if it's at someone else's expense." He looked at his son and grandson and said, "What's going on?"

Dabi repeated what she had seen and Jackson sighed heavily. "Well, that would certainly explain a few things. Around the same time Jimbo disappeared, so did Caroline's dad, but no one really missed him."

"Trouble?" Gibbs asked.

"Oh, he was a mean cuss. Always had a beer in one hand and a foul word coming out of his mouth. Rumor had it he had beaten Caroline's mother to death, or at the very least, she took off. No one knows."

"Should we go to the sheriff or should we try and follow them, maybe find the body?" Dabi asked. "Jimbo was a Marine, so that technically makes it an NCIS case."

Gibbs stared at his daughter. "You know the sheriff doesn't like me, right?"

"Why? Because the last time you were here, some Mexican broad shot up Grandpa Jack's window and tried to shoot him, just because she was pissed at you? Or would it have anything to do with that murder investigation of Corporal LaCombe? Abby told me about that one." She looked at her father pleadingly. "Look, even if we don't tell the sheriff, you know darn well I'm going to try and find this guy, which is really going to piss off the sheriff anyway, so if we at least tell him, then when the crapola does hit the fan, at least it won't stink so bad."

"It already does," Gibbs said, his mind already sliding into investigative mode. He had a fleeting wish for his gun but then remembered Jackson's Winchester rifle.

"I'll make the call," said Jackson, seeing the look on his son's face. "Like father, like daughter. Neither of you know how to stay out of trouble," he said as he reached for the phone.

"Ain't that the fun part?" Dabi teased, grinning.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"So you're telling me you saw Peabody and Carter talking about moving Jim Seymour's body from one of the mines that the Barrick Corporation is looking at and that his disappearance may have something to do with Caroline Peabody?" Sheriff Lankin said, scratching his head.

"Yes sir," said Gibbs. "According to the files, Seymour was a Marine, which does technically make this an NCIS case, however I figured that since you're the local law around these parts, you might want a crack at this first," Gibbs said.

"I don't know. I mean, I'm sure your daughter probably thinks that's what she saw, but I can't just go arresting people based on what someone claims they saw, especially someone who's deaf," Lankin said. "Maybe she misread what they were saying."

Dabi's eyes went cold. "I didn't 'misread' anything, Sheriff. I've been deaf all of my life, so lip-reading is second nature to me and I can prove it."

"Okay."

"Go across the street and make nice with the lady sitting outside. When Dad holds up his hand, you come back and I will repeat what you said. If I get at least ninety percent of the conversation right, you have to help us. If I get fifty percent of it wrong, I will drop the matter."

Lankin eyed her but nodded. "Fair enough."

"And don't cheat by keeping your back to me," she warned him.

"Duly warned."

Lankin, Dabi, Jackson, and Gibbs all went outside and Lankin went across the street to talk to the elderly lady sitting on the bench outside.

Sixty seconds later, Gibbs held up his hand and Lankin rejoined them. "Well?" he asked.

"Her name is Suzanna and you asked her how she was doing. She said she was doing fine but the arthritis in her knee was bothering her today and that annoyed her because she really wanted to work in her garden," Dabi said. "Her prized Lady Mitchell roses are blooming."

"Okay," said Lankin.

"You asked her about her daughter, and she said Jody was doing just fine and yes, she was still studying at the police academy in Allentown. How am I doing so far?" Dabi asked, folding her arms across her chest.

Lankin sighed. He was beaten and he knew it. "You win."

"Thank you," Dabi said graciously. "By the way, you were pretty pissed off about something yesterday, and you said something that I think was _gath ma hamar_? What exactly was that?"

Lankin's face started flushing. "_Gath mal hmar," _he said.

"What does that mean?" Dabi asked.

"What it means is I'm going to have to watch what I say around you," Lankin replied. He glanced at Gibbs who just smiled. "She's good," he mouthed, "unfortunately!"

"That bad, huh? You should see Pop-Pop when he's swearing in Hebrew. Last time he used a real goodie, Nana used a metal mixing bowl on his head. His ears rang for the rest of the day and he had to replace the bowl because of the dent in it. Anyway, now what?" Dabi asked, ignoring the choking laughter coming from Jackson, the cringing from Lankin, and the wide eyes from Gibbs.

"Rule Thirty-Eight," Gibbs said.

"Which is?" Jackson asked.

"Your case, your lead," Gibbs said. "Dabi takes the lead, we provide back-up and support."

Lankin sighed heavily. He didn't like this, but a bet was a bet. "All right, miss. How do you want to play this?"

"We follow the good old boys, we find the body. There has to be more to the story and I want to know what it is," said Dabi.

"Okay, I can have one of my deputies keep an eye on them, see where they go," said Lankin.

"Could we find out which mines are being looked at, possibly get maps?" Jackson asked.

"Let's talk to the Barrick guys," said Gibbs. "There should be record of the old mines."

"We could always pester Tim," Dabi suggested. "It might not be in the computers, but he may be able to point us in the right direction."

"Town Hall archives," Lankin suggested.

"I know someone who works there," Dabi said. "Fran Tucker; she has a summer job there."

"Didn't you punch out her brother recently?" Lankin asked.

"Yup. Said he deserved it. Even his girlfriend, Pam, tried to pick a fight with me but we're friends now. Rule Number One; just because you can, doesn't mean you should, especially when it comes to fights."

And that was how Dabi wound up in the Town Hall archives, going through old records.

Meanwhile, Gibbs called Tim McGee and explained the situation.

"Go through their files, see if you can find where they're looking," Gibbs said. "We're looking for mines that were dug but closed by 1973."

"_On it boss. By the way, I'm surprised you didn't hear DiNozzo yelling._"

"How long did it take him to find the thumb drive?"

"_About three minutes. Plus another five to stop cursing Dabi. Apparently she either glued or double-taped a few things on his desk. He's promising all kinds of retribution, especially after the rubber snake in his desk drawer._"

Gibbs just sighed heavily.

In the archives, Fran was working and was happy to see Dabi. When she explained the situation and what she needed, Fran was eager to help.

"There's been rumors for years about a ghost in the mines. Maybe it's Jimbo," Fran said eagerly, heading for the section where the maps were.

"If we can find him before anyone else does, maybe we can make sure he gets a proper burial, instead of being in there," Dabi said.

"If you go in there, let me know. I _love_ stuff like that!"

"It could be dangerous. The two old guys were talking about possibly rigging an explosion and if that happens, a lot of people could get hurt."

"In that case, we'd better find him before they do, haven't we? Charge!"

Fifteen minutes later, they had their answer.

"Check these out," said Fran, shoving her hair behind her ear. "This section here, it's not very deep, but it was closed off for some reason." The two girls were pouring over a yellowed map of the coal mines that had been around in the 1970's. "It was closed off just before 1973, just before Jimbo disappeared."

"So was this area here," said Dabi, pointing to another section. She bit her lip. "If they had some kind of cart, they could probably carry a body pretty far, but if not, they would have had to drag him. I don't think they would have just dumped him, though. From the sounds of it, he was their buddy, and Marines are pretty finicky guys when it comes to buddies."

"Been there, heard that?" Fran asked.

"Stories from my dad, plus stories from some of the Marines that came in to the bakery. Part of their code is never leaving someone behind, not if they can avoid it." She sighed heavily. "The problem is, we don't know which mines the Barrick guys are looking at."

"Is your dad checking that out?"

"Yeah, he's got someone finding that out. If we could copy this map and then overlay it with their map, maybe we could narrow it down a bit."

"Photocopier over there. Forward, march!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Tim McGee's fingers found what they were looking for; the maps of the mines Barrick Corp was looking at. He quickly sent them to Dabi's e-mail, along with a file containing field notes from the surveyors that he thought Gibbs might be interested in.

Gathered in the living room of Jackson's home, two maps were laid out on the kitchen table. Fran, having helped Dabi with the maps, was quite happy to help with the map comparison. Overlaying the two maps, it didn't take long for the group to find at least two possibilities.

"This mine, here," said Fran, tapping one mine on the map, "I think it's your best bet."

"Why?" Gibbs asked.

"Because there are a lot of stories about a ghost miner in that mine, near the back. He's always very helpful but no one's ever sure if he's a miner or someone else," said Fran.

"There's no such thing as ghosts," said Gibbs.

"I don't know about that, Leroy," said Jackson. "These mines have been around for a long time and I've heard some stories that would raise the hairs on your neck."

"It's a place to start," Dabi suggested.

"All right, but we're going in with proper gear. That means helmets, head lamps, steel toes, the works," said Gibbs.

"I know a buddy who can help you with that," said Lankin. His cell phone rang and he moved off. He was back a second later. "That was one of my deputies. Seems Carter is on the move, and he's got gear with him. He's being followed as we speak. I'll call my buddy."

"I'm coming with!" Fran said, her voice booking no argument. "There ain't no way in sunshine I'm letting you guys go in that mine without me, not when there's a chance you could meet that ghost!"

"You got gear for that?" Gibbs asked sarcastically.

"You bet your bottom dollar I do," said Fran. "I've got an EMF reader, EVP recorders, a camera with night vision, and even a thermal imaging camera."

"In English," said Gibbs, still being sarcastic.

"EMF are electromagnetic fields, and the theory is that when a spirit is present, the fields change. EVP is electronic voice phenomena, where you use a recorder to ask a ghost a question and it records what is said because our ears can't hear on the paranormal level," Fran explained patiently.

"And thermal imaging?" Lankin asked.

"They don't call it a cold spot for a reason," said Fran sweetly. "Thermal imaging lets us see differences in temperature fluctuation, especially when a ghost is present."

"Fine. You have fifteen minutes to grab your gear or we're going without you," said Gibbs. "Dad?"

"I would love to, but these old bones of mine wouldn't be able to keep up."

"I'll stay outside and you keep a radio with you in case of trouble," said Lankin.

"Fine. Gear up."

They were at the mine about half an hour later. All three were wearing hard hats with lights attached to them. Gibbs had a radio that was tuned into the one Lankin had, and he also had his knife with him (Gibbs' Rule Number Nine, never go anywhere without a knife) and a larger battery-operated lantern. They were all dressed warm and wore proper footwear. Fran even had a garden pickax with her, just in case.

"And I thought the cemetery at night was creepy," Dabi said, peering in to the darkness. Even with her helmet flashlight, the darkness of the cave was still pretty unnerving.

"You went in to a cemetery at night?" Fran gapped. "Why?"

"To bury a friend with my mom," Dabi said. "It's a bit of a long story, but the short version is the cemetery officials wouldn't let me do it, so Dad and I did it anyway."

"I have so got to come to Washington!" Fran said. "You guys are so much fun!"

As they began to venture into the mine, with Gibor sticking close to Dabi and wearing his own flashlight, Dabi said, "You should see what I do to Dad's senior field agent when I'm bored."

"I'd be more worried about what DiNozzo's going to do to you when he catches up to you," Gibbs said. He studied the map then pointed to a branch line. "This is the longest one," he said. "It goes back about a quarter of a mile."

Fran held up her EMF reader. It was fluctuating, but not by much.

As they ventured further into the mine, Dabi couldn't help but shiver. This was a lonely place to be.

Then Fran perked up. "We got someone coming towards us," she said, looking at her thermal imaging camera.

Not trusting anyone, Gibbs yanked everyone into a small alcove and turned off their lights.

Just in time; a young man, who had a determined look about him, passed by them at a near run.

"Hey Sheriff, we got a young male coming out," said Gibbs into his radio. "Five-twelve, brown hair, scruffy beard, and jeans and a red and black plaid shirt."

"_Ten-four_," came the staticky reply.

Once the unknown male was well past, the team continued.

Then Fran froze, her eyes on her instruments. The EMF had started changing drastically and a cold spot had appeared on her camera, colder than the surrounding area. She activated her voice recorder.

"Jimbo, is that you? Are you the ghost haunting these mines?" she asked into the inky darkness. A moment later she played back the recording and Gibbs swore he felt the hair on his neck stand up.

"_Jimbo, is that you? Ate you the ghost haunting these mines?_"

There was a pause, then a voice yelled, a voice Gibbs swore he hadn't heard seconds before.

"_Run!_"

A split second later, a rumbling explosion was heard, shaking the ground, followed by the unmistakable sound of rocks crashing and falling.

"Cave in! _Move, move, move!_" Gibbs yelled.

They ran and made it around a bend before tons of rock came crashing down across a tunnel they had just about been to investigate. The force of the crash sent everyone tumbling.

As the dust slowly settled, Fran lifted her head. She was between Gibbs and Dabi, with Gibor tucked under Dabi.

"We're in trouble," she said, eyes wide.

"Ya think?!" both Dabi and Gibbs shot back sarcastically.

"Now what do we do?" Fran asked as they scrambled up.

Gibbs shone his light towards the blocked tunnel. "Someone blew that tunnel for a reason, probably the guy we just saw. I want to know why and what's behind it."

The radio went off.

"_Hey Gibbs, you guys okay? Just heard what sounded like an explosion_," came Lankin.

"There was. You grab the guy that came out?"

"_Bastard got by us_," said Lankin, sounding disgusted.

"Well find him; he may have just set off an explosion in here," Gibbs snapped.

"_I got someone on his scrawny ass_," Lankin promised.

"We're going to find out what he was trying to hide."

"_Keep in touch_."

"Will do."

At the rock pile, everyone chipped in, carefully pulling away rocks and debris until they managed to create a sizable hole that Fran could crawl through, being the smallest of the group. She scrambled through, looked around, and started swearing.

"What?" Gibbs demanded, trying to see what she was seeing, even as he continued to carefully move rocks.

"I found your missing Marine, and I think I also found Mr. Carter too!" Fran called back.

"Is he okay?" Gibbs asked.

"Put it this way, Mr. Gibbs; I'm not so sure that wasn't Mr. Carter we heard on the recorder!"

Gibbs got on the radio. "Sheriff?"

"_Go ahead, Gibbs_."

"Find that bastard; we have two dead bodies and one of them is one of our suspects, Mr. Carter."

Gibbs didn't hear Lankin swearing but he had a strong suspicion he probably was, just as he was mentally. Their possible homicide case had just turned into a definite homicide case. This was _not_ how he had planned on spending his vacation, and from the look on Dabi's face, neither had she.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Upon the discovery of Mr. Carter, and with the danger of an unstable mine, Gibbs ordered everyone out. The sheriff would call the nearest available mine company and request help in securing and retrieving the bodies.

In the meantime, Gibbs called his team and ordered them down to Stillwater, including Abby and Ducky. It was all hands on board.

For safety reasons, Gibbs ordered Dabi and Fran back to the store, courtesy of a deputy he brow-beat into complying. Dabi knew better than to argue with him.

During the ride back, Fran had a question for Dabi.

"I forgot to ask, but your name's kinda weird. What is it?" Fran asked.

"It's Hebrew. My grandparents are Jewish but they follow the faith more than the religion and the traditions, which is how I got away with the tattoos. Pop-Pop still speaks Hebrew, but it's mostly cussing. Besides, some of the Hebrew names are pretty interesting, like Gibor, which means 'hero'."

"Cool!"

"Are you hungry? All this adventure stuff is making me want to bake and I feel like making something with strawberries."

Fran's eyes lit up. "If you're baking, then I'm eating!"

The girls convinced the deputy to drop them off at a grocery store and Dabi picked up some ingredients. Then they headed back to Jackson's store and, once they explained what had happened, got to work in the kitchen. It wasn't long before Jackson came in to the kitchen, sniffing the air appreciatively.

"That sure smells good," he said.

"Care for a glass of Strawberry-Limeade iced tea?" Dabi asked.

"That sounds like a mighty fine idea to me, sweetheart," Jackson replied, smiling. As Dabi poured him the drink, he asked, "What are you girls making?"

"Dabi's teaching me how to make Strawberry-Lemon Shortbread Bars and Strawberry Cake," Fran said.

"Now that's a mighty fine treat for a day like today," said Jackson. He took a sip of his drink and said, "I can think of a lot of folks around here who are going to be envying me right now."

"Well, with Ziva and Abby and Tim and Tony and Ducky showing up, I figured I'd better do some extras," Dabi said. She thought for a moment, then said, "Maybe I should do a Peanut Butter and Chocolate Glazed Pie; Abby loves that. Well, she loves the flavor, just not what it does to her hips."

Fran grinned.

Back at the mine, having received a text from Dabi to let him know she was at his dad's place, Gibbs watched as the local miners carefully removed the fallen rock and shored up the walls. The estimation was at least two hours, and glaring wouldn't work because, as the site boss said, they either did it carefully the first time which would prevent lives lost later, or did it fast and risk a second cave-in for not having done it right.

After a bit, Gibbs was able to get closer. Crumpled in a heap was Mr. Carter, the back of his head blooded and a shovel nearby. Careful examination revealed the shovel to have fresh blood on the blade, right about where it would have connected with the victim's head, and at least several times from the looks of it.

Near the back was a partially demolished pile of rocks that had been in the form of a cairn; Gibbs suspected that was where Jimbo was. Carefully removing some of the rocks proved him partially right; the mummified remains of someone were under the rocks. It was going to take more work before he was done. Fortunately, several miners offered their assistance, making the process much faster.

After a bit of work, they had their answer.

"Damn, boys, we got a Marine here," said the boss, wiping the sweat off his face.

Someone from the hospital had carefully removed Mr. Carter earlier, after Gibbs had done a careful examination and processing of the scene with what tools he had. Fran had cheerfully lent him her digital camera, after asking him to take some pictures of the area for her; something about orbs, which usually indicated the presence of spirits. After that voice on the recorder, Gibbs didn't know what to think.

Carefully checking around the body, Gibbs found what he was looking for; dog tags.

"Private First Class Jim Arthur Seymore," Gibbs said, reading the name on the tags.

"Didn't that guy go missing just after the Vietnam War?" the miner boss asked.

"You heard the story?" Gibbs asked, putting the tags back. He would bag and tag them once the body was taken back to the morgue.

"Hell yeah. Don't know of anyone my age who didn't."

"What do you know?"

The boss shrugged. "Story goes he came back home with his buddies and was gonna marry his sweetheart, Miss Caroline Danhurst, but her daddy was a mean cuss and didn't like the idea of his girl marrying a Marine, honorable or not. He just plain hated anyone in a uniform, even the sheriff at the time."

"Sounds like a guy who would use his fists on his own daughter," said Gibbs.

"There were rumors about that, yeah, especially when Mrs. Danhurst suddenly disappeared." The miner boss rubbed his chin. "Anyhow, rumor has it Jimbo showed up one night and there was a lot of yelling and shouting going on over there. After that, neither Jimbo nor Mr. Danhurst were ever seen again."

"And Miss Danhurst married one of Jimbo's buddies, Mr. Peabody," Gibbs said.

"Yup. Funny thing that."

"Marriage good?"

"Must've been; she was married to him till the day she died. Sweet lady. My wife loved chatting with her at the craft fairs, and the kids loved her around the holidays because she always had something good for them." The mine boss sighed heavily. "Dunno about you, but this sure raises a whole lotta questions, especially with this poor soul."

"And Mr. Carter?"

"Even more questions." He jerked his head towards the mummified body. "Can't help but wonder if it was this fella who was haunting these mines. That would sure explain a lotta things."

"_And Mr. Peabody has a lot of questions that need answering_," Gibbs thought. "_That is if that other nutjob doesn't get to him first._"

A short time later, he emerged from the mine and, while watching to see that it was sealed off as a crime scene, he received a text message from Dabi.

"_Fresh coffee and dessert ready when you are. Abby said they're at the half-way point and should be here before nightfall_. _Was that Jimbo in there?_"

"_Confirmed_," he texted back. "_Don't know too much more yet and won't until Ducky has a look at him_."

"_At least he'll be able to be buried properly now_. _Fran's asking a lot of questions about colleges in Washington. I think she may come with us. Would be kinda cool._"

"_How's Gibor doing?_"

"_Had a piddle and went to sleep. I think the mining adventure wore him out._"

"_He's a good dog. A little training and he'll be just fine._"

"_He's not Azan, but I saw Azan last night. He seemed happy and I got the impression he liked Gibor._"

"_That's good._"

"_I miss him, but when I'm working with Gibor, it doesn't hurt so much._"

"_Good._"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Hello Stillwater!" Tony exclaimed, flinging his arms out as he got out of the car.

Tim groaned as he followed. "I hate traveling non-stop." He stretched.

"Hi Timmy," Dabi called, emerging from the store.

"Hi Dabs," Tim called back. He accepted her hug as he came around the car. "Who's your new bud?"

"This is Gibor, my little hero," said Dabi, indicating the dog, who was wagging his tail eagerly. "And this is Fran Tucker, a friend."

"Where's Gibbs?" Ziva asked, after giving her a hug.

"Still at the mine probably," Dabi replied. "That was a pretty serious cave-in that jerk tried to do."

"Do you think he was trying to hurt you guys?" Abby asked.

"I doubt it. I don't think he knew we were there. He may have been trying to hide the second body."

"What do you know?" Tony asked.

"It was Mr. Carter. Dad will be able to tell you more. All I know is that Mr. Carter and Mr. Peabody were talking about Jim Seymore, who disappeared in 1973, just after getting home from the Vietnam War. Caroline Peabody may have had something to do with it because the story goes she was engaged to Seymore but married Peabody afterwards. Her father also disappeared around that time and I'm thinking he was physically abusive towards his family; his wife vanished years ago."

"You think he killed her?" Tim asked.

Dabi shrugged. "I don't know. Not so sure I want to."

"I do," came Gibbs voice as he joined them. "Duck, Carter's with the town hospital morgue and Seymore's still in the mine. Don't go alone; the tunnels have been shored up but the mine boss says the explosion weakened the walls pretty seriously."

"Understood, Jethro."

"We brought gear for going into the mine, boss," said Tony.

"Good. Let's hope this bastard decides he's had enough of the mines for now." He needed a shower in the worst way; he was covered in sweat and coal dust, but there was still work to do. "Abby, you're with Ducky. Check out Carter and Seymore when he gets brought in. DiNozzo, McGee, head for the mines and check out Seymore properly, then bring him in. Ziva, as soon as I get cleaned up, we're going to pay Peabody a visit. He's going to tell us what the hell is going on."

There was a chorus of "Yes, boss" from the team and Gibbs headed in to have his shower.

Tony smiled at Dabi but it was the smile of a predator laying eyes on his prey. "I found the little parting gifts you left me, Dabi dear."

Dabi smiled back. "That's nice, Tony. Did you have to call Building Maintenance to repair the hole in the ceiling again?"

"No, not for the ceiling, but very nearly for the window. You will pay."

"Oh, I'm sure I will, and then I'll return the favor."

"You already did!"

Dabi cackled as she went inside. Tim caught up to her and quickly signed, "Watch yourself. He bought some stuff."

"Why do you insist on doing that to her?" Ziva asked Tony. "You know she is Gibbs' daughter and we do have to live with her."

"Because she's like the little sister I'm glad I never had!"

A short time later Gibbs and Ziva were at Peabody's house. Gibbs knocked on the door while Ziva peeked through the windows.

Suddenly Ziva yelped and yanked out her gun.

"There is someone on the floor!"

Gibbs yanked out his gun, thankfully brought by his team, and carefully tested the door. Finding it unlocked, they entered the house and did a quick search of the premises. The only one there was an elderly man who was laying on the floor, gasping weakly. He had been beaten.

As Ziva called for help, Gibbs attended to the man. He was conscious, just.

"Who did this to you?" he asked.

"I don't know," was the moaning reply.

"We found Jimbo, and your buddy, Carter; somebody beat him to death. I'm betting it was Carter's grandson."

Peabody moaned, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Jimbo didn't hurt nobody; he was just trying to save Caroline," Peabody whispered.

"Tell me what happened," Gibbs coaxed.

But Peabody was sliding into unconsciousness.

"The ambulance is on their way, and so is the sheriff," Ziva reported.

"Stay with him; I'm going to search the house. Somebody or something is damn well going to give me some answers!"

Gibbs knew he was being grumpier than usual, but the cave-in had scared him more than usual. Dabi had been there and if she had been killed or hurt, he didn't know what he would have done. He had lost one daughter in this life; he was in no hurry to lose another, not when he'd just found her.

A quick search turned up nothing but Gibbs spotted a string-tied box in the attic he wanted a closer look at, given the dust and dirt on it. Before he could, Lankin showed up, along with the ambulance.

"He say who?" Lankin asked.

"No, just something about Jimbo not hurting anyone and trying to save Caroline."

Lankin sighed heavily. "What the blue devil is going on around here?"

"You going to help me search or what?"

"You're the boss on this one."

Gibbs went for the box he had seen earlier. It contained a Colt .45 M1911A1 pistol, a standard U.S. armed forces service weapon, which looked like it hadn't been touched in years. The gun had been wrapped in a towel and when Gibbs checked for bullets, there were none.

The gun would go to Abby and the letters, also inside the box, would come with him for examination, especially since they were addressed to Jimbo Seymore.

That was the only thing anyone would find, aside from a picture of the guy that had been seen running out of the mine.

"That's Michael Thornburgh, Michael's dumbass grandson," said Lankin. "Thought I recognized the little twerp. Always looking to make a fast buck, and not always legally." He nodded to himself. "Now I know who to look for, I know who to send the boys for. We'll find him before long, if that junker of a truck of his is anything to go by."

There wasn't much else anyone could do, as the search of the house didn't turn up anything else. So Gibbs and Ziva headed back to the store, with Lankin promising to post a guard on Peabody in case Thornburgh showed up again.

Later that night, while Gibbs and his team were going through the letters and the gathered evidence, and Abby was examining the gun, there was a sudden startled scream. Dabi had just gone to bed and the scream had come from where she was sleeping.

"_Anthony DiNozzo, federal agent or not, you're a dead man!_" Dabi yelled from the back.

A moment later, a large rubber snake came flying into the kitchen and snapped itself around Tony's head, who was doubled-over laughing.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Meningitis. I was about six when I got hit with it. I really don't remember much about it, except being in a hospital for a long time. I know I have a scar on my back from where they did a lumbar puncture to get some cerebrospinal fluid for testing, and I know I lost my hearing because of it," Dabi said.

They were at the breakfast table and Jackson had commented on the fact that Dabi's speech was very good for someone who couldn't hear her own voice. He had asked her if she'd been deaf all of her life or did she lose her hearing at some point.

"That must've been hard," said Tim.

"It wasn't fun. I developed a nasty little trick of not looking at someone when I was mad at them or didn't want to see what they were saying. That got me in to trouble quite a bit," Dabi admitted, wincing. "Mom had a stubborn streak, though. Just because I had lost my hearing didn't mean I was going to retreat from the world, or stop speaking. She refused to let me get away with that. It didn't help that Nana and Pop-Pop made a deal with me. They knew I already had plans to one day run the bakery, and they said I couldn't if I didn't speak, because if I didn't speak, my employees wouldn't be able to understand me and neither would my customers."

"What did the other employees do?" Ziva asked.

"They got in on the act. If I signed but didn't talk, they wouldn't acknowledge me," said Dabi. "It took a few temper tantrums before I quit that game. Sometimes, though, if I'm really upset and I'm crying, it's hard to talk, so that's one of the few times I can get away with not talking. I did that for a little while when Mom died." She looked away, remembering. "We used to watch Sue Thomas: FBEye a lot, and when I found out that Sue Thomas was a real federal agent, she kind of became my hero. I even dressed up like her one year for Halloween, even getting a blonde wig so I could look like her, and someone Pop-Pop knew had a Golden Retriever, so I could have Levi with me."

"Was that before you got Azan?" Ziva asked.

"Yeah. After that, I really wanted a dog like Levi, but then Mom died and I didn't know if I was going to be staying with Nana and Pop-Pop or what was going to happen." She reached down to scratch Gibor's ears. "My world was seriously screwed up for a while. Somebody told Nana and Pop-Pop about this organization in Rockville and the next thing I know, I've got this Golden Retriever puppy licking my face." She smiled at the memory. "He got me through some tough times." She smiled at Gibor, who had laid himself at her feet, content. "Now I have someone else to help me get through some tough times, right buddy? You and me, we're going to college together."

The plans for the day involved finding Michael Thornburgh and talking to Michael Peabody. Word from the hospital was Peabody was in serious but stable condition and the doctor was allowing visitors but only for very short periods of time.

As for Jimbo Seymore, Ducky had finished his autopsy and was ready with his report.

"He was shot with a shot gun; I found numerous shot pellets embedded in his chest and the spread suggests the shooter was at least several feet away when he died," said Ducky. "Due to the condition of the body, I'm afraid I can't tell you much more than that."

"Abbs?" Gibbs asked.

"The gun was fired but never cleaned," said Abby. I found blood on the front of the gun but it's very, very old and I don't have the equipment with me to do a detailed analysis here. If I was back at the lab, I might able to get a DNA match with anyone."

"Go," said Gibbs. "Take Ducky with you if he's done his autopsies."

"That I am," said Ducky. "Mr. Carter was beaten to death, quite possibly with the shovel that you found. I've done all I can for the poor soul."

"And Jimbo?"

"All that's left to do is bury him, where he belongs," said Ducky.

Gibbs nodded. "McGee, DiNozzo, work with the sheriff to find Thornburgh. Ziva, we're going to have a little chat with Mr. Peabody."

"And me?" Dabi asked.

"Stay safe."

"Fran and a bunch of her friends are going to the river today. May Gibor and I go with them?" Dabi asked.

"You stay in cell phone range. If you don't, you get back to where you are. I don't know if Thornburgh saw us or not and I don't know where he's hiding, so I don't want you taking chances; got it?" The look on his face told her it would be unwise to argue with him.

"Got it," Dabi said, already taking out her cell to text Fran and let her know.

At the hospital, Peabody was laying in bed, a nasal tube under his nose and an i.v. in his hand. He looked pale and weak against the hospital pillow and barely stirred when Gibbs and Ziva entered the room.

"Mr. Peabody, I'm Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, NCIS. This is Agent Ziva David. We have some questions to ask you."

Peabody glanced at him, but it was a resigned glance.

"We know Jimbo Seymore was killed by a shotgun blast. What happened to him?" Gibbs asked.

Peabody raised a shaking hand and covered his eyes.

"If you didn't kill him, you won't be punished. We just want to know what happened and why Carter's grandson would kill him," Gibbs said gently.

"Jimbo was only trying to protect Caroline," Peabody moaned. "Her father was a bastard, first to his wife, then to Caroline. Sweet, gentle Caroline." It was as if a dam had broken and the water, a secret that was years old, was spilling out in a rush. "We came home from the war and Jimbo had some money he'd taken off a drug dealer who'd tried to sell us that junk. We had beaten the guy to death and taken his money."

"How much?" Ziva asked softly.

"Couple hundred. Wasn't much, but it was enough. Jimbo was going to use the money as a downpayment on a house for him and Caroline."

"Go on," Ziva coaxed gently.

Peabody looked at her and it was as if he couldn't look away. "We went to Caroline's house, all of us, because we knew Steve was a mean man and thoguht if we were all there, he wouldn't be able to try something. But he did. He came out yelling and cussing something fierce, drunker than hell. Jimbo said he was there to take Caroline away to marry him and Steve suddenly had a shot gun in his hands."

"He fired at Jimbo," Ziva guessed.

Peabody nodded. "He never stood a chance. There was so much screaming and yelling going on, and Caroline was crying and sobbing."

"Who shot Steve?" Ziva asked.

"I did. I still had my gun with me and I took it out and I shot him three times without realizing what I was doing."

"He had just killed your friend and you had just come back from a war. You were reacting as a soldier would," Ziva soothed. "What happened then?"

"I took care of Caroline, got her calmed down. Then the three of us, we made a pact that we would never, ever speak of it again. We buried Jimbo in the mines because we didn't want to leave him exposed or in a grave where he might be dug up. He loved the mines when he was a kid, always exploring. We figured he'd be happy there."

"And Steve?"

"There was a crack in another mine. We threw him down there, straight into hell, where he deserved to be. I can't remember where exactly; it was so dark."

"That's okay," Ziva soothed. "Do you know why Michael Thornburgh would harm his grandfather?"

"The damned money. For years there was a story circulating that Jimbo was buried with a lot of money. Damned fool probably wanted the money."

"Was there?"

Peabody shook his head. "We took the money and gave it to Caroline; it was meant for her anyway. About a few months later I told Michael Caroline and I were getting married; I had fallen in love with her and she with me. We used the money for a downpayment on a nice little house, just like what Jimbo wanted." He looked at Ziva pleadingly. "What's going to happen to me now?"

Ziva looked at Gibbs who shook his head. "Nothing. You aided and abetted in a cover-up but the courts would no doubt rule it as self-defence under the circumstances. What's done is done. I think you have paid a high enough price as it is."

"We will place a guard by your door in case Michael comes back," said Gibbs.

"And Jimbo?"

"Isn't it time you buried him properly? He did die a hero, after all, and his family deserve to know the truth."

Peabody nodded. "And Michael?"

"Michael Carter will be buried properly and Michael Thornburgh will be arrested and charged with murder, when we catch up with the little twerp," said Gibbs.

"Your daddy says you were a Marine," said Peabody, looking at him.

"Yes sir," said Gibbs.

"You give me your word, one Marine to another, that you'll get Mikey? That you'll stop him from hurting anyone else?"

"Yes sir, we will."

Peabody nodded, satisfied, and closed his eyes tiredly. "I'm so tired. I miss my sweet Caroline. I hope I see her soon."

Suddenly, Gibbs cell phone went off, indicating an incoming text message.

"_MT just showed up at the river! Has a GF he's trying to take with him! Hurry!"_

Gibbs swore. "Thornburgh just showed up at the river. We need to move, now!"

"Get the bastard," Peabody whispered.

As he and Ziva tore out of the hospital room and down the hall, Gibbs managed to send a message to his daughter. "_Find out who the GF is and keep me posted."_

Ziva was already on her phone, calling Tony. It seemed Michael Thornburgh really was as big an idiot as everyone claimed.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Jerk," Fran hissed, glaring at Michael Thornburgh from behind the trees as she and Dabi watched him. They had ducked for cover when they saw him approach the group, worried he might have seen them in the mines.

"Dad wants to know who his girlfriend is," said Dabi, looking at her cellphone.

"Suzy Somers, but she's not here," said Fran. "I don't know where she is."

An idea came to Dabi as she sent back a reply. It was a risky one, and her dad would probably read her the riot act later, but it might work.

"Michael a player?" she asked.

"Big time, but so is Suzy," said Fran. "What are you thinking?"

"I don't think he saw us at the mine," said Dabi. "Fishy fishy?"

"Chompy chompy," Fran replied, smiling nastily.

"You stall, I muck. Dad taught me a thing or two about vehicles."

"Gotcha. Hey Mikey!"

"Yeah?" the young man called back, looking at Fran as she came out of the trees.

"Suzy's not here, but I am and Suzy says you're really good where it counts."

"So?"

Fran started fiddling with her bikini top and flashed him a naughty look. "I'm eighteen. My boyfriend's not here and I want to play."

Michael swallowed, and both girls could see him getting aroused.

"Suzy says you're nice and big and you really fill her up," said Fran. "I want to find out." She ran her hands down her body provocatively. She was wearing a bikini top and Daisy Duke shorts.

Michael swallowed again before casting a hurried look around.

"You could teach me how to do a bj," Fran offered.

That did it. Michael quickly hurried over and Fran pulled him down for a kiss that would have melted his socks off had he been wearing them.

Meanwhile, Dabi and Gibor dove for her bag on the beach and then ran for his truck. It didn't take her long to get out her knife, a stainless steel pocket knife with a serrated/straight edge and engraving on the handle. It was a birthday gift from Gibbs, following Rule Number Nine; never go anywhere without a knife. It even had _Rule Nine_ engraved on it.

A swift downward stroke punctured the truck's back tire and then Dabi was putting the knife in her pocket and grabbing a tree branch.

"Get away from her, you pervert!" she yelled, running and taking a swing at Michael. She whacked him across the shoulders, with Gibor barking and growling at him. Fran's friends saw what was going on and started laughing at them.

"Hey, you crazy bitch!" Michael yelled, ducking her next swing.

"Get away! She's mine!" Dabi yelled, playing the role of a lover or girlfriend. "Leave her alone!"

Michael took off running for his truck, while Dabi quickly sent her father a text message, letting him know the suspect was going to have a flat. He must have been driving because she got a scowling face icon back, one she was sure he didn't know how to do but Ziva did.

"Oh my god!" Fran yelped, running for her bag, where she grabbed a bottle of water. She quickly rinsed her mouth out as Michael tore out of the area. "That perv uses way too much tongue! Way gagsville!" She spat out a mouthful of water before asking, "What did you do?"

"He's gonna have a flat to match his flat," Dabi sniggered, holding up her Spyderco Police Model pocket knife and pulling open the blade.

"Whoo!" Then she saw the engraving. "Rule Nine?"

"One of Dad's personal rules. Rule Nine is never go anywhere without a knife. These days it's my Rule Three."

"What's Rules One and Two?" Fran asked, watching as Dabi put her knife away.

"Rule One, just because you can, doesn't mean you should, especially when it comes to a fight. Rule Two, never leave home without your phone or your dog."

Suddenly Fran jumped and Gibor barked. There had been a loud screeching, crashing noise from up the road and Dabi looked at Fran quizzically. "I think Michael's flat just made him crash."

"C'mon guys, let's go find out!" someone called. The group, a mix of girls and boys about sixteen to eighteen years of age, all friends, ran down the road, with Fran and Dabi right behind them. Dabi's fingers were flying across her phone.

"_Fran said there was a crash. Possibly Michael?_"

A moment later, there was a reply.

"_He did. Truck couldn't handle the curve. Nice work. Don't do that again._"

"_Yes sir._"

A few minutes later the group arrived at the scene, where Gibbs and his team were hauling out a dazed and angry Michael Thornburgh. The truck was in a ditch and a wreck but Michael was otherwise okay, just cut and bruised.

As Tony and Tim hauled the murder suspect out of the wreck, Fran yelled, "Hey Mikey, a _dog_ kisses better than you! No wonder Suzy was always kissing another guy! I would be too, if I had to put up with your slobber!"

Ziva winced and Fran's friends howled with laughter.

"The next time you set off a blast in a mine to cover up your stupidity, make sure there aren't any witnesses, like _us_, you loser!" Dabi yelled.

Michael's eyes went wide and Gibbs gave him a nasty smile, holding up his badge. "Michael Thornburgh, you're under arrest for the murder of Michael Carter, your grandfather, the attempted murder and assault of Brian Peabody, as well as the attempted murder of those two girls and a federal agent."

"What federal agent?" Michael demanded.

"Me. I was in that damn mine when you tried to cover up your grandfather's murder," Gibbs snarled.

Michael was scared and it showed. "All I wanted was the damn money, the money people said was buried with that freak Marine! But Grandpa said there was no money, that we had to move the body! Like fuck!"

"So you beat him to death for that?"

"He was old! He was going to die anyway! Who cared about some old fool?"

"I did," Gibbs snarled. "And so did the rest of his family. You want to know where the money is? It went to pay for your grandparents' first house years ago."

Michael's already pale face went whiter.

"And now, Mister Bright Boy, you get to think about that for the rest of your life," said Tony, gleefully. "Oh look! Here comes the sheriff and I think he wants to have a little chat with you!"

"I need to see a doc, man," Michael moaned.

"Oh you will, young man, you very much will, and then you'll be seeing a judge," said Lankin as he joined them.

"Hi Dad, nice to see you again," said Dabi cheerfully, waving.

"How's the water, Dabi?" Tim asked.

"Great! Gibor's having fun and we were too, until Dinglebrain showed up," said Dabi.

"I would love a swim," said Ziva, pulling at the neck of her shirt; the temperature was rapidly heating up, typical for a summer day in Stillwater.

As Lankin took Thornburgh away, Tim and Tony joined them. "So would I," said Tim.

"Me three," said Tony, trying not to stare at Dabi, who was wearing a triangle bikini top and boyshort bottoms.

Gibbs nodded. "Grab your stuff," he said. "I think Dad has a portable barbeque in the garage." He chuckled when his team tore for the car Tony and Tim had been driving. "No alcohol! There are kids around!"

"_Yes boss!_"

Before long, they were back and joining the group. Dabi was sure it would be a summer to remember. She was also sure she was going to murder Tony before the summer was over.

"Tony, you miserable son of a bitch!" she yelled, surfacing from where Tony had just thrown her in the river.

Tony was too busy laughing but that laughter suddenly stopped when Fran tackled him, sending him straight into the river with a loud splash.

"Pay back's a bitch, and _I'm_ the bitch!" Fran yelled, laughing as Tony surfaced, spluttering.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Michael Thornburgh was charged with murder and attempted murder. The trial was pending, but Abby was sure the shovel which he used to beat his grandfather to death with would be more than enough evidence to convict him, especially once she was finished with it.

Brian Peabody survived the assault, but it took its toll on his already-aging body and a few days later, he suffered a heart attack in his sleep and passed away. The nurses reported seeing a smile on his face, and Gibbs suspected it was because he was looking forward to joining his wife, Caroline.

Dabi and Gibbs stayed in Stillwater for a few more days before heading home. It was no surprise to Gibbs when Dabi told him she had made arrangements with her grandparents to "lease" the spare room in her grandparents' apartment to Fran while she attended college in Washington. It seemed the teen had plans to become the next NCIS agent and Gibbs was sure they were going to have their hands full with her bouncy, take-no-prisoners, grab-and-run gusto personality.

When Dabi got back, Eric took her out on a date and finally gave her what she wanted; a kiss that sent her blood pressure soaring. He also had a surprise for her; it seemed he had decided what he was going to do with his life. Thanks to the conversations he'd had with Gibbs and other members of the team, he had decided to take the necessary courses to become a cop with the Washington police department and eventually make the rank of detective. He wanted to try and do a little bit of good in this world and had come to realize that one of the best ways to do that was to become a cop. Dabi was proud of him.

Sharee and Daniel welcomed Gibor with open arms and so did the rest of the staff at the bakery. Many of them had known Azan and knew Dabi needed a hearing dog. In fact, many of them had seen what had happened to her when Azan had died and were glad she had found a new friend.

_Two weeks later_:

"You guys working late tonight?" Dabi asked, watching as Tony typed furiously on his keyboard. She had dropped by, bringing iced coffee for those who liked it, and regular coffee for those who didn't.

Gibbs nodded. "Someone made off with several thousand dollars worth of computer equipment from a warehouse and we're going harassed by the top brass to get it back."

"So that means you won't be home for a while." A gleam came into her eyes, one Gibbs recognized.

"Whatever you do, I don't want to know about it. Just let me know when so I can find my ear plugs again."

Dabi smiled. "I need to have a word with Abby."

_The next morning:_

Tim looked at Tony, who had just come in with a scowl on his face and dark circles under his eyes. He was also limping.

"What happened to you?" Tim asked.

That was a bad thing to say.

Tony went on a long and loud rant.

It seemed that Dabi had managed to acquire the key to his apartment and had a little fun the night before. He had been saran wrapped at the door, buttered on the kitchen floor, baby powdered by the ceiling fan, Kool-Aid'd in the shower, snaked by the toilet lid, short-sheeted in his bed, a tinfoil pillow in his bed, slippers double-taped to the floor, and his Jones sodas shaken up. Dabi had even hid an alarm clock under his bed and set it for three hours before he was actually supposed to get up. Even his coffee had tampered with!

"One way or another, I will get her!" Tony finished off yelling. "Even if it takes me the rest of my life, I will get her! You know, of course,_ this means war!_"

_At the bakery:_

Dabi glanced at her cell phone, which had just buzzed with an incoming message from Gibbs.

"_Nicely done, but I would avoid DiNozzo for a few days if I were you._"

Another message came in, this one from Tim.

"_If that was fun, I would hate to see what you would do to someone if you were pissed._"

And then there was Ziva.

"_Can you teach me how to do that? And what is this baby powder in the ceiling fan and cool aid in the shower?_"

The End... for now.


End file.
